The City of London Corporation will commemorate the 400th anniversary of the first printed edition of William Shakespeare’s plays by putting one of the oldest printed copies of his plays on display at the Guildhall Library.
According to the Telegraph, the book will be on display for a limited time of five hours only, on Monday, April 24, with 10-minute talks every hour of the day.
Experts consider the First Folio, as it is commonly known today, to be one of the most influential books ever written in the English language. Published in 1623, nearly seven years after Shakespeare’s death, the book saved half of Shakespeare’s plays from being lost, including his most popular works such as Macbeth, Twelfth Night, and As You Like It.
Guildhall Library, owned by The City of London Corporation, is half a mile from Jagard’s Print House, where the First Folio was printed. It is also across the road from St Mary’s Aldermanbury Gardens, where Shakespeare’s friends and fellow actors, John Heming and Henry Condell, are buried and commemorated with a book monument, featuring a statue of Shakespeare.
According to the library’s principal librarian, Dr Peter Ross, the City of London Corporation has the oldest copies of the First Folio out of 230 still in existence. It is also among the 90 that have been completed so far. He added that half of Shakespeare’s work would have been lost without Heming and Condell’s collection.
Wendy Hyde, Chair of the City of London Corporation’s Culture, Heritage and Libraries Committee, expressed her pride in the library’s ownership of the book. He described the First Folio as a truly remarkable book that has been preserved as a valuable heritage asset for the benefit of future generations.
Visitors to the library will also have the opportunity to see two smaller and original copies of Henry IV Part One and Othello, along with a copy of the First Folio.
First Folio’s limited five-hour display is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness one of the most influential books ever written in the English language.
A must see for Shakespeare lovers. Visitors to the Guildhall Library will learn about the history of Shakespeare’s collection of plays and have the opportunity to see some of his most famous works, preserved for the benefit of future generations.
